Fabulous bakes and hot waffles at breakfast, green fields all around and Normandy steeped in history. Great for foodies and historians

Snug, simple and delightful casitas with private entrances and courtyards interlink for groups. Stroll through the olives, bask by the pool

Come with friends for a cookery course, or with the kids, and enjoy the creative feel of the place - and the food! Venice 40 mins by train

Your hosts couldn’t be nicer and look after you beautifully – this is a lovely, homely place with a rambling garden

A 18th-century house with pool in a small town with friendly owners and a tropical garden of banana, fig and, of course, frangipani

Old meets new seamlessly here: ancient stone, lofty beams, good comfort, wood-burner, Jacuzzi/spa and space to relax in the designer garden

In off-the-beaten-track Tuscany, 2 peaceful apartments in a former haybarn, both carefully renovated with antique furniture

An elegant hotel that feels like a well-kept secret, with charming staff, understated rooms and great restaurants a short walk away

Come for hearty Lakeland adventures, pretty towns and villages, and a rather special stay in this warm and welcoming country inn

You’re wrapped in parkland here and close to the coast, gardens and war memorials. A treat of a stop-over for foodies

A large and light house sitting by itself in lovely countryside with a big pool, maturing gardens and superb views up to Saignon on the hill

In the gardens of a laid-back country house, a barn with books, games, faded rugs and a grand piano – a treat for convivial families

Tranquil cottage tucked away on a private estate on the Llyn Peninsula, with walks starting from the door and unspoiled beaches to discover

An old farm worker's cottage, niftily done up and nicely remote, with walking and fishing on the doorstep, four miles from Hadrian's Wall

Beautiful views over Bantry Bay from this thoughtfully restored house with stylish rooms, gardens and woodland – a wonderful escape

At the foot of the Cambrian Mountains, an ancient whitewashed cottage with cosy, light-flooded interiors – a perfect rural bolthole for two

A sophisticated and friendly Basque beauty overlooking the Bay of Biscay, in Txakoli vineyard country – prepare to be thoroughly spoilt